Raymarine adds Cyclops sailing support to Axiom touchscreens
Sailers will be able to check real-time yacht rigging tensions on Raymarine’s Axiom displaysRaymarine will roll out a new version of its LightHouse 3 software that will wirelessly report real-time sailboat rigging tensions to the helm’s Raymarine Axiom display.
The new function, which connectors with a consumer-focused range of load-sensing devices developed by British yacht racing specialist Cyclops Marine, will let skippers check on everything from jib, vang and mainsheet tensions to the pressure being exerted on sheets, halyards and backstays.
The Cyclops Marine sensors were originally developed for Americas Cup challenger Ineos Team UK, but have since been developed into a more user-friendly form for recreational sailors and around-the-can racers.
The sensors measure the load-bearing on a sailboat’s rigging system, replacing the bottlescrew body on stays.
The sensors feed data wirelessly to a central hub installed below decks, which then interfaces with the Axiom display via the LightHouse 3.16 operating system, nicknamed Hvar after the popular Croatian island anchorage in the eastern Adriatic Sea.
The data can also push to a smartphone or tablet.
Raymarine said the integration of Cyclops’ technology with LightHouse Hvar 3.16 would provide a significant boost and added awareness for performance sailors and recreational boaters alike.
“For race sailors, real-time display of forestay or backstay tension enables the helm to optimize sheet tension at critical points,” it said.
“Armed with this knowledge, a skipper can increase the tension for more power or decrease it to reduce the power, making the most of wind conditions and steerage to enable the fastest repeatable performance.”
Integration of the new technology with Axiom displays will also benefit recreational catamarans, which naturally resist heel when sailing in strong winds, making the load placed on the sails and rigging more difficult to tune to the conditions.
“Biminis and other tops can exacerbate the problem, further reducing sail visibility,” Raymarine said.
“Instantaneous tension data on Axiom displays removes any such judgment and ambiguity.”
The updated LightHouse Hvar 3.16 is now available for download.
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